Dustin Hoffman has directing regrets

Dustin Hoffman wishes he'd had the confidence to become a director much sooner his career rather than wait until the age of 75 to helm his first project, 'Quartet'

Dustin Hoffman regrets not becoming a director sooner in his career.

The two-time Academy Award winner has just made his directorial debut with 'Quartet' - about four retired opera singers - at the age of 75.

But he wishes he'd stepped behind the camera much sooner but his confidence was rocked after he fired himself from 'Straight Time' because he couldn't make any decisions as a director.

He said: "It's one of my demons I guess. It has been until now.

"I felt I'd blown the chance. I felt somehow I wasn't allowed to direct; I'm allowed to be an actor, I'm not allowed to be a director. We all do that; we put things off because we don't feel we're entitled to do it. Unless you're one of the few who have no demons."

Hoffman says his greatest regret is standing up Samuel Beckett to discuss making a movie together and he admits he pulled out because he was terrified of meeting the Irish avant-garde writer

In an interview with The Guardian Magazine, he said: "At one point I was supposed to meet Samuel Beckett in a bar in Paris to do a revival of 'Godot', and I stood him up. I just kept walking round the block, I couldn't go in the door."

Hoffman admits if he could live his life over he wouldn't make the same mistakes, even though he is proud of his vast body of work.

He said: "I wouldn't be making these same mistakes. Some people are alcoholics, some people are drug addicts. Some people turn down great moments in their life, and I guess I fell into that category."